Page 15 - Oundle Life February 2022

What do tadpoles eat? During the transformation process (known as metamorphosis), the tadpole switches from feeding on algae and pond plants (if there is a lack of vegetation in your pond, boiled greens can be added to help young
tadpoles) to becoming carnivorous.
I’m a frog, get me out of here!
develop over the next few months. Why not create your own mini pond to attract all sorts of wildlife?
You don’t always need water in your garden to encourage frogs and toads: they
also love piles of old logs, stones and compost heaps where they’ll find shelter, as well as slugs and insects to feed on.
To find out more about how you can invite nature into your garden, balcony or nearby greenspace, visit rspb.org. uk/yourdoorstep for handy guides to wildlife homes, gardening tips, and so much more.
Why not create your own mini pond to attract all sorts of wildlife?
Create a mini pond! Spring is a lovely time to create a mini-pond, because you’ll see it quickly
Amazingly enough, tadpoles can
control the rate of their transformation, according to their environment. For
instance, they may turn into frogs more quickly to escape a pond teeming with predators like fish. On the other hand, if there’s plenty of algae to munch through
and limited predators – or if the weather is too cold – tadpoles can delay and remain in the water for up to a year.
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This article was first published by the RSPB. You can find out more about the work the nature conservation charity does at: www.rspb.org.uk
Images courtesy of Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)